The Other Side of Heaven
by Blustarzengel3
Summary: Piper finally gives birth one summer evening and everything changes. Paige is suddenly the one taking care of the baby, instead of Leo & Piper. A few months later, a Whitelighter comes to show them the future if they keep it this way...
1. Default Chapter

Title: The Other Side of Heaven  
  
Author: IceAngel8  
  
Rating: PG:13, if you can watch the show, you can certainly read this!  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, even baby Melinda. She was produced through the wonderous minds behind 'Charmed' and belongs to them, although my interpertation of Piper's child will definitely differ from theirs.  
  
Spoilers: I don't really know if there are spoilers, because in one of the episodes they showed the Charmed Ones' future and it showed that Piper had a daughter. Also, they announced Piper's pregnancy at the end of season four.   
  
Distribution: Take it wherever you please, but leave me a link so I can visit.   
  
Feedback: Come on, tell me what you think! I didn't write this for nothing, you know!  
  
Summary: The Halliwell Manor is filled with excitement as Piper's birth comes near. Paige and Phoebe are doing all they can for their sister, but catering to an emotionally unbalanced woman is proving to be quite a challenge. Finally, Piper gives birth one balmy summer evening to baby girl Melinda, and the Charmed Ones' lives are turned upside down. The new parents are panicked and Phoebe has work but Paige suddenly becomes Melinda's live-in babysitter, taking care of her as if she were her own daughter. Piper and Leo use this opportunity to go to work, as Paige grows increasingly more attached to their child. Months pass, Melinda starts crawling and babbling, and then one night changes everything for the family. A White-lighter comes to show the sisters the future if they continue living this way. A lot of revelations are made…  
  
Author's Notes: It's been a *very* long time since I've written anything here. Some of my Buffy fic is at my new site and I'll post the new link, so you can read it there. But there are some fics that I will just not be finishing, because I have ideas for new stories, no time to finish the old ones, and unfortuantely, no inspiration for the old fics either.   
  
Dedication: To Ally, thanx for being my friend and thanx a bunch for all that help in Mr. Mota's class! You rock in Spanish class!  
  
Part One:  
  
Paige Matthews stood at the kitchen counter, cutting tomatoes and pickles into slices for her sister's daily afternoon sandwich. Piper liked her sandwiches specially made with all her favorite things- turkey, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper. Paige was the only one, with the exception of Leo, Piper's husband, who could remember how to make a sandwich for her. Phoebe always forgot either the Swiss cheese or the tomatoes, and it would really upset Piper, who was currently in an emotional unbalance, due to her pregnancy. Going from happy to angry, to sad, took only a few seconds for Piper these days. But it was because she was to give birth in less than a week. Everyone was eager to see the newest addition to their family, especially Paige, who didn't have a regular job and was always home. Having a baby around would surely make things more interesting in the house. As if they weren't interesting enough, with all the witchy stuff going on.   
  
Paige finished adding the thinly cut slices of tomatoes to Piper's sandwich, and placed it on the family's customary blue plates. She poured some cool, refreshing water into a tall glass, and then picking up the plate with the sandwich, headed up the stairs to Piper's bedroom. The door was open and Paige saw her sister sitting upright in her bed, leisurely reading a novel.   
  
"Hey, Piper, I made you lunch." Paige said, entering the room. She sat down beside Piper and held out the delicious looking sandwich. "I put in all you're favorites, you know."   
  
Piper smiled widely and carefully bookmarked her book before dropping it onto the bed. She took the plate from Paige's hands and set it onto her lap. "Thanks a bunch, Paige. I was just about to go downstairs anyway."   
  
Paige smirked and gave Piper her famous "I-don't-think-so" smirk. "Haha, you had me laughing there, sis. You know you were just about to call me!" Paige said, grinning. "Well, you see, I seem to have some internal call that says 'make sister's lunch…NOW', so you don't need to call me from now on." Paige winked and Piper chuckled.   
  
"Hmm… now I know you're kidding there, Paige." Piper mumbled her mouth full of the sandwich that had taken Paige ten long minutes to make. Everything had to be delicately sliced and placed; the spices had to be perfectly added…blah, blah.   
  
"Well, I'm glad you like the sandwich, Piper. I'm going go to downstairs now and make myself one, otherwise I'll just take a big bite out of yours and I'm pretty positive that you wouldn't be too happy 'bout it." Paige said, pretending to lean toward the sandwich with her mouth wide open for a bite.   
  
Piper drew backwards, eyes merry with laughter. "Okay, then, shoo! Go make you're food, sister of mine, and don't come back here till you've eaten it all." She leaned back against the big, fluffy pillows on her bed and sighed. "Ah, this is perfect."   
  
Paige nodded. "I know. Maybe I should get pregnant and get this kind of treatment," she kidded.  
  
"Believe me, it isn't all sun and roses. Try living with nine months of morning sickness and then tell me about wanting to carry around a kicking, fully active baby in your urethra." Piper looked knowingly at Paige, who grinned and shook her head.   
  
"Never mind then, Mrs. Pregnant Mother of half-guardian angel and witch." Paige headed toward the door and glanced back. "But you don't complain much, Piper, so I'm guessing you're really eager for Melinda to finally be born then, huh?"   
  
Piper looked thoughtful as she answered. "There are two sides to finally giving birth to my baby. The first, well, I really enjoyed being invincible, you know. It comforted me to know that I could really help Phoebe and you out, Paige. Then there's the ole' deep desire to give birth, because it's really painful to walk around with a nine month old baby in you're stomach. And I also really, really want to see her."   
  
"Yes, I understand. I also want to see my niece, as does Phoebe. And it's so cute to see you walking around the house in you're maternity clothes." Paige walked through the door just as a burgundy colored pillow hit her directly in the back.   
  
"You're going to pay for that, Paige Matthews!" Piper yelled playfully at her younger sibling, who in return, laughed and headed down the hallway, and to the staircase. Paige, clad in her soft, cozy midnight blue slippers, padded down the stairs, and into the kitchen. She was hungry now, tempted by the delicious lunch that she'd prepared for Piper.   
  
Suddenly, the front slammed and Paige heard her middle sister stomping toward the kitchen in her clunky black boots. Phoebe appeared in the doorway with a big smile, holding her handbag and several grocery bags in her hands.   
  
"Hey, Paige, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked cheerfully, no traces of worry or frustration on her face, like there had been for the past week days.   
  
"Hey! I'm just making myself a sandwich. I made one for Piper and it got me hungry." She laughed. "Do you want one, too? 'Cause I could make it, you know…"   
  
"No, it's alright. But thanks for suggesting it, Paige." Phoebe smiled, "I actually wanted to know if you and Piper wanted to go out for lunch, get some sushi and eat in the park…" Phoebe said a hopeful look in her eyes.   
  
Paige immediately stopped cutting up the bread for her sandwich and nodded. "I'm definitely in! And I'm sure Piper will agree, although she's probably already eaten the lunch I made her. But I think she has room for more, especially if it's sushi!"   
  
"Well, go ahead and get dressed, okay? I'm going to relax for a few minutes. You should have seen have much work I had to do this morning and it's a Saturday, too!" Phoebe exclaimed and gratefully sank into one of the chairs that were placed conveniently around the table.   
  
Paige was out of the Halliwell kitchen in two seconds flat, her creamy pale complexion flushing slightly as she dashed up the stairs and into her eldest sister's room. Piper seemed to have fallen asleep, the plate empty and her novel lying open across her legs. Paige stopped, ready to announce Phoebe's arrival and the offer of a lunch in Golden Gate Park, but suddenly decided against it. She didn't want to wake Piper, who needed sleep more than anyone else at the moment.   
  
"She fell asleep, Phoebe. I guess it's just going to be me and you, then." Paige walked back into the kitchen where Phoebe was waiting. Paige was already dressed, in a simple black tank-top, light grey yoga pants and a pair of comfortable, red flip-flops. "I didn't think it was necessary for me to wake her up. She needs to rest; the baby's due soon."   
  
Phoebe nodded, her Hershey brown eyes twinkling. "Yup, baby Melinda is going to be here any day. Oh, I can't wait… I've been dreaming about taking care of Piper's baby since the day she told us about her pregnancy."   
  
"The newest addition to the Halliwell family…well, it's going to be fun, Phoebe. Feeding, playing, cuddling, teaching her how to use her powers… and oh yeah, changing diapers!" Paige clapped her hands as Phoebe shuddered in horror.   
  
"Oh gross me out before I eat, Paige, how smart of you!" Phoebe scolded her sister but she was grinning widely. "You know I'll do anything for my niece, even if means closing my nostrils with a laundry clip!"   
  
Paige stuck her thumbs up in approval, "That's the spirit!" After a pause, she continued. "But now do you mind if we go eat, 'because I can hear my stomach rumbling very much like the storm we had last week."   
  
"Oh, we wouldn't want that again here, in San Francisco, would we? We have to shovel something into you're mouth and fast," Phoebe joked and Paige shot a glare. "I already got picnic basket ready with all the usual stuff." Phoebe started counting off the supplies on her fingers. "Plates, napkins, forks and the blanket, right? Is that all we need?"   
  
"Well, what about the cookies, spoons for the ice-cream, soda and lots of other fattening junk-food? Oh, and don't forget the fruit!" Piper sashayed past her sisters, headed towards the pantry that stood at the far end of her culinary paradise, which was her nickname for the Halliwell Manor's kitchen. Phoebe and Paige hadn't moved a muscle, staring at their heavily pregnant sister with identical looks of astonishment on their faces.   
  
Paige was the first to find her voice, and putting her hands firmly on her hips in mock insult, she said, "Are you trying to make us fat? Or trying to raid our pantry?" She kidded, pointing directly to the numerous packages that Piper was pulling from the shelves.   
  
"No, I'm trying to stock up so we could have the best picnic in Golden Gate Park. Plus, this is now officially my last major pig-out before Melinda is born." Piper turned around to look at her sisters' smiling expressions. "Now help me before I drop all this stuff!"   
***  
~WRITE ME A NOTE, LEAVE ME SOME FEEDBACK, BASICALLY TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THIS!!! ~ 


	2. Chap 2 A Picnic Twist

The Other Side of Heaven  
Author: IceAngel8  
Summary: The sisters' picnic in Golden Gate Park ends with a suprising touch!   
Disclaimer: Nobody is mine, boo hoo. No I'm J/K :)~  
Feedback: Send it people, come on! Don't you feel ashamed when you read someone's work but don't bother telling them what you thought? Well, what if you someone did that you?!  
  
Part: 2  
  
About an half and a half later, the Charmed Ones had finally reached Golden Gate Park, and settled down on the sun-warmed grass in a quiet little area. All three sisters were loaded down with bags, containing food, ice-cream and the accessories they'd need to make it the loveliest picnic before Piper gave birth and half-guardian angel and half-witch baby Melinda came into the world.   
  
"Is it just me or did we really haul about ten or more bags, from the car?" Paige asked, spread out on their picnic blanket in exhaustion.   
  
"Uh, you're right, Paige. We really did care about twelve bags, including the basket, from the car all the way here. But it's going to be worth it. Come on, now, get up! I want to eat my Dragon roll." Piper said, nudging her youngest sibling in the stomach nonchalantly.   
  
Paige sighed as a cool breeze tickled her face and lay back on the comfy, plaid red blanket that the family occasionally used for outings like these. She'd lived her whole life in San Francisco, but the beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge and its park never ceased to amaze her. She considered it to be the eighth wonder of the world, the famous bridge soaring in the air, as the sun set directly behind it.   
  
"Paige, are you awake?" Phoebe's voice came from a slight distance and Paige opened her eyes slowly, as if she'd just woken from a trance.   
  
"I think I fell asleep for a minute or two," Paige murmured, "Wow, I haven't done that in years."   
  
"Done what? Fallen asleep?" Piper asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin. She had already started eating her portion of the sushi, which the sisters had ordered at a delicious bistro on their way to the famous Golden Gate Park.   
  
"No, no," Paige shook her head at Piper, "I've never fallen asleep from daydreaming in like two years." She said, picking up one of the 2-litter soda bottles that they had also purchased and pouring into a paper cup. "I was just thinking about the bridge and how beautiful it looks when the sun sets."   
  
Phoebe smiled and looked up, towards where hundreds of cars raced down the lanes of the Golden Gate. "Ah, yes, it's a really gorgeous sight. Hey, we'll get to see it this evening," She clapped her hands, delighted, and Paige's eyes filled with excitement.   
  
"Oh, you two, go buy a camera." Piper threw a napkin at them, shaking her head. "Haven't you heard the phrase 'a picture lasts longer'? I think it'd be good if you guys actually learned the meaning of it,"   
  
Paige grinned and pulled out a small Duane Reade bag out of her designer handbag. "Hah! I come prepared, for all occasions!" She tossed the bag over to Piper, who caught it with no problem and immediately pulled out its contents.   
  
Piper held up the small black disposable camera in her hand. "Does this mean you're not only taking pictures of the bridge but also…of me?"  
  
Paige shook her head 'yes' and giggled with girlish glee. "Oh, yes, definitely. I'm going to capture you, standing with the bridge as your background when the sun goes down. It'll be like a small token of this picnic. And when Melinda grows up, you can give it to her, so she'll always have a picture of her mother and her soon-to-be baby."   
  
Piper's eyes filled momentarily with happy tears and she embraced Paige warmly. "Thanks, Paige. I'm glad to know my baby is going to grow up around such a creative person," she laughed, but was fully serious about her words, and lightly kissed Paige's milky pale cheek.   
  
"What about me Piper?" Phoebe asked, pouting in pretend displeasure. "I have plenty of things to teach my niece when she grows up. You know, things like dating, make-up, getting into trouble…"   
  
"Very funny," Piper said, extending her arm so that her other sister could be part of the hug. Phoebe immediately stepped between the two and hugged both of them tightly. Piper's belly proturded out between the three sisters like a large, inflated balloon and they all patted it affectionately, knowing that the person inside was very special, as were her parents.   
  
Around six in the evening, the sun had already set and Paige had stuck to her word and snapped dozens of pictures of Piper and Phoebe posing, with the bridge as their background. The Charmed Ones had also taken other numerous photos of their picnic, with pictures of them eating, inflating tons of balloons, playing Frisbee and the other activities that they had done. As they sat eating cheesecake for dessert, with Paige on her second slice, Phoebe still munching delicately on her first piece and Piper casually eating her third or so slice, Piper began feeling the first of many contractions ripple through her.   
  
She carefully set aside her plate with the cake on it, and leaned over, clenching her teeth as the pain increased. Without delay, Phoebe hurriedly took her cell phone out of her bag and began punching in the number for Eve's, the gypsy that they'd saved, small medical clinic. Meanwhile Paige sat down beside Piper and began doing the breathing exercises with her.   
  
"Oh god, I don't want to give birth in the damn park!" Piper yelled face red as her contractions began speeding up, with only minutes between them now.   
  
"When did you start feeling the contractions, Piper?" Paige asked, paying no heed to the fact that her hand was being held extremely firm by Piper, her mind only focused on getting answers from Piper so that she could inform Eve on her sister's condition.   
  
"It started like halfway through the picnic but they didn't hurt, so I didn't tell you guys anything. I didn't want to be rushed to the clinic, only to wait for hours."   
  
Paige nodded, "You should have told us anyway. But forget that now, the contractions are here now and we need to deal with them. Breathe with me, okay, come on! One…two, come on keep going, Piper!"   
  
Biting her bottom lip in frustration, Piper began breathing rhythmically with Paige, using the same method that they had taught her in the Lamaze classes. Phoebe stood anxiously beside them, relieved when she heard the familiar sounds of an approaching car hurrying towards them.   
  
Everything sped up like lightening when Eve arrived - Piper was loaded into the car, frantically holding onto Paige's hand while Phoebe stayed behind to clean up their picnic and then drove Eve's small healing sanctuary, also the place where Piper would deliver. 


	3. Chap 3: Baby Blues Come w Sweets

The Other Side of Heaven  
Part 3 - Baby Blues Come with Sweets  
Author: IceAngel8  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" characters belong to their respectful owners. I don't own them!  
Feedback: Yup, you better send it! Come on, don't let me reduce to begging...   
  
~ Part Three ~  
  
Piper was sweating and very aggravated by the time they finally arrived at the clinic, with Eve driving as fast as humanly possible without getting any tickets, on the way. She ran inside to grab a wheel-cart while Paige made sure that Piper was breathing the way they'd practiced and also managing to stay calm the way Eve had instructed during the ride in the jeep.   
  
"How can I be calm? I'm about to let a freaking nine-month-old baby out through my uterus! Hah, calm! Look at me, do I really look that calm to you?" Piper yanked Paige's hand until her sister was eye-to-eye with her.   
  
"I know Piper, I know. But Eve has pain killers okay? Just think about Melinda and how much you want to see you're baby. And don't forget to breathe. Come on, breathe with me… one…two…" Paige's voice trailed off as she realized that her sister hadn't heard anything that she'd said.   
  
"I just want my husband here, so call him! Now!"   
  
"Leo, Leo, come on, we need you here!" Paige called, her eyes focused up towards the sky, expecting to see the familiar glow of Leo orbing down to them. But nothing happened, no blue-white sparkles shifted into the form of her sister's husband. "Leo, for Christ's sake, you're wife is about to give birth!"   
  
Seconds later, fiery blue-white sparkles burst from the heavens, forming into Leo, who immediately hurried over to his angry wife and tried consoling with her. But Piper wouldn't listen to him.  
  
"Where the hell were you, Leo?" Piper yelled, giving him no time for an explanation when Eve suddenly appeared with the wheel-cart.   
  
Without hesitation, Leo hoisted his beloved up onto the cart and then along with Eve, hurried inside the medical clinic. Paige and Phoebe could only wait outside, because Eve's hut was too small to fit everyone and also because the two sisters knew that this was a special moment for Piper and Leo.   
  
A few days later, the whole family was comfortably settled at home. Piper had given birth to Melinda promptly after being rushed into the small med clinic. There hadn't been any trouble with the birth; it had been a natural and speedy birth, because Piper's contractions had already been heavily underway. Eve, along with a tense Leo at her side supervising, had guided Piper through the difficult process until finally a tiny, but very healthy and adorable baby was placed into her mother's arms. Both mother and daughter had been very exhausted after the labor, and after hugs and kisses from Leo, Paige, and Phoebe, fell asleep.   
  
Now, two days later, the new mother was quickly realizing that her daughter had a full set of lungs and definitely knew how to use them. Piper leaned against the closed bedroom door and sighed. Melinda had been crying for about ten minutes now, ever since she'd woken up from her mid-afternoon nap, and everything that Piper had done to make her stop hadn't worked. Piper was almost at her wit's end.   
  
"Maybe you should give her a bottle, Piper." Paige said, coming up the stairs. She took in her sister's stressed expression. Piper's skin was pale and unhealthy, as if she hadn't eaten a proper meal in days, and her normally cheerful brown eyes looked unhappy.   
  
"I fed her before she went to sleep. I don't think she's really hungry, Paige, but thanks for the suggestion." Piper managed a smile.   
  
"Well, then, if my niece isn't hungry, I bet she's just crying for some attention. I'm going to go play with her for awhile, alright? You should go make yourself something to eat, Piper, you look like you've been too busy with Melinda and haven't eaten anything." Paige said, brushing past her sister and into the bedroom.   
  
"Thanks, Paige. I mean it," Piper said, patting her youngest sibling on the shoulder.  
  
"No problem, Piper. I'll come downstairs when I put her to sleep, okay?"   
  
Piper laughed a genuine smile on her face, the first since the moment her daughter had been placed into her arms. "Well, I really hope so. So, you take care of my little angel and I'll bake you some fudge brownies as a thank-you."   
  
"You don't have to, Piper." Paige said, but her smile said otherwise.   
  
"Yeah, right, Paige, I see that look on you're face. You want those brownies and you know it, too!" Piper chuckled and with a final glance at her sister, headed downstairs to the kitchen to prepare Paige's brownies.   
  
Paige quietly slipped into her Piper and Leo's bedroom and was instantly taken aback at how loudly and demandingly Melinda was crying. She quickly walked over to the crib and looked down at the tiny, yet very vocal, baby. Traces of her parents could already be seen on Melinda - she had Piper's chocolate brown eyes and her mouth while Leo's nose and cheekbones had been passed down.   
  
"Aw, you're so beautiful, Lin." Paige murmured, although the baby was screaming her head off. Paige had immediately nicknamed the newest addition to the Halliwell family and it had stuck. "Come here, you little rascal."   
  
Paige picked up her niece and cradled her in the crook of her arms. Melinda slowly became quiet, until she was silent in her aunt's arms. She looked up at Paige with her inquisitive baby eyes, sucking her thumb contentedly.   
  
"You are the cutest baby I've seen in this entire city, Lin. But not only are you cute, you're way more special than other babies. You and I are alike - half White-lighter and half witch. Now that's a pretty special mix."   
  
Melinda gurgled as if in response and Paige smiled widely. "You're mommy is a witch, a Charmed One, and you're daddy is a White-lighter. He and mommy fell in love against all odds and you, you are their pride and joy. Except right now you're mother doesn't know what to do, Lin. I think you gave her a headache."   
  
Paige set Melinda gently down onto the queen sized bed, and then lay down beside her. Melinda turned slightly to face her aunt, delighted and happy by her presence. All the crying she'd done seemed to have been forgotten, Paige thought, as her niece grabbed her fingers in a tight grip and kicked up her feet.   
  
After a half and hour of playing, Melinda fell asleep again, sucking her pacifier peacefully. Paige had placed her back into the crib and thrown a blanket over her to keep away the chill of San Francisco's crisp weather. It was only the beginning of March and the heat filled days of spring and summer hadn't arrived yet.   
  
"Hey, how are my brownies coming along, Piper?" Paige asked, coming into the kitchen with a bounce to her step.   
  
Piper quirked her eyebrows. "You managed to put Lin to sleep?"   
  
Paige nodded and waved her hand as if without a care. "Please, that child is so easy to charm, she was asleep almost instantly." she kidded.  
  
"Haha, Paige. Then how come I haven't seen you around in thirty minutes?" Piper asked, joking with her sister. She shook her head in amazement. "What did you do? How'd she go to sleep so fast?"   
  
Paige made herself comfortable on one of the bar stools that stood around the island counter. "All Melinda wanted was to play a little. I tickled her a bit, played hide-and-seek, and then read a story to her. She fell asleep half way through."   
  
"Hmm. That's great, Paige. You really have a way with her,"   
  
"Well, of course, Piper. I'm her aunt!"   
  
Piper nodded, grinning, and went to take the brownies out of the oven. "Uh, Paige, can you get the whipped cream and strawberries from the fridge?"   
  
Paige was up immediately, "I'm on it!" She said and hurried over to their refrigerator while Piper placed the freshly made, delicious smelling brownies on plates for them.   
***  
  
Okay, some of you mentioned that Piper's baby will be a boy on the show. I don't believe this to be true because of some reasons. One, in one of the past seasons (when Prue was still alive), the future was shown to the Charmed Ones and Piper had a daughter. Two, during this season, in an episode (I don't know the name), Paige and Phoebe called Piper's baby their "niece".   
P.S. I really hope it's a girl because it'd be like continuing the Charmed legacy and to me, it just seems right for Piper and Leo to have a daughter. Well, I'm going to be wishing! 


	4. Chap 4: Set in Motion

Title - The Other Side of Heaven, Part 4  
Author - IceAngel8  
Rating - PG-13  
Disclaimer- Nothing belongs to me, sadly.  
Feedback - I adore it! Something inside me gets all warm and fuzzy when I see that people have read my work, and it makes feel that I matter, among all these great writers here on fanfic.net and around the world :)  
Spoilers - I don't think so... we all knew Piper's giving birth to a girl. Nobody can deny it anymore and say it's going to be a boy. If it is, then I'm going to be *really, really* pissed. Author's Notes- Sorry about the long delay but spring semester just started at school and things have been hectic. But since it's Presidents Week, I'm going to have time to write more so check back regularly for new updates! Enjoy Part 4!  
  
~| Part Four |~   
  
Days passed by and things started getting more hectic at the Halliwell Manor. Piper was busy all day with the baby, while Leo had been sent off on another trip for the Elders, making his wife fuming mad. She didn't understand why they couldn't allow Leo to have a couple of weeks off. For god's sake, he had an infant to help take care of! Phoebe had loads of work at the Bay Mirror, so she couldn't help out with her niece. But Paige, unemployed and happy for a distraction, decided to give Piper a break one afternoon, and went upstairs to her sister's bedroom.   
  
"Piper?" Paige asked, keeping her voice to a quiet whisper. She didn't want to wake Melinda up, knowing it'd made Piper go ballistic and that the house was unusually quiet, for once. When Melinda was awake, everyone knew it. She was a very demanding baby, one that required 24/7 attention.   
  
"Yes, in here, Paige." Piper's voice came from within the room. When Paige entered, she saw her sister standing by the baby's crib, looking down at her sleeping daughter. "What's up?" she asked, turning around.  
  
"Nothing much. I thought you needed a break, so I wanted to take Lin out for a stroll outside. It's really nice out, not hot, just breezy and cool." Paige said, sitting down on Piper and Leo's queen sized bed.   
  
Piper smiled. "How thoughtful of you, Paige," she chuckled, "Well, maybe if you can get the stroller out downstairs, I'll take Melinda out on a walk with you."   
  
Paige's face lit up in a delighted smile and she said, "What if I take her and you get the stroller out and ready? I'm sure she won't cry with me, Piper."   
  
"Okay, so I'll go get dressed and then everything ready downstairs and we'll go. Just make sure she doesn't wake up and start crying, I spent almost an hour trying to put her to sleep." Piper said and headed out of the room.   
  
Paige stood up from the bed and crossed over to the small white crib where her niece lay, looking as serene as an angel. But Paige knew from experience that first impressions weren't everlasting with Melinda. She carefully wrapped her arms around the baby and lifted her, being as gentle as possible. Melinda didn't make a sound as Paige cuddled her in her arms and left the room, going downstairs.   
  
Piper was dressed and ready by the time Paige had cautiously descended the stairs, holding Melinda in her arms. Paige handed Melinda to her mother and Piper placed her in the stroller that they'd purchased before she had given birth. Ten minutes later, the sisters were enjoying their walk down the block. It was breezy and cool, March weather in San Francisco.   
  
"Hey, do you want to rent a couple of movies tonight, Piper?" Paige asked as they turned the corner and started down the hilly street.   
  
Piper squinted against the sun, "Uh, Paige, I've been meaning to ask you something. Can we talk about the videos later, please?"   
  
Paige nodded and said, "Sure. Ask away,"   
  
Piper looked uncomfortable, deciding how to bring up the subject. "Well, um, ever since Melinda's birth I've taken time off from work…" she paused and Paige smiled at her, encouraging her to finish what she'd been saying. "I was just thinking about going back because I really miss the club. I mean, taking care of my baby is great, I love her deeply and everything. But I'm the type of person that's constantly working and that needs to be in a work environment. I can't do both at the same time, taking care of Lin and working at P3. So, I was wondering if maybe you could take care of her while I'm at P3, just for the day, only. You know, since you don't work…"   
  
"Well, of course, I'll take care of Lin. She's my only niece, Piper!" Paige laughed and Piper smiled in relief. "I know you like working and cleaning, although I don't understand why but I'm not going to question you, so…"   
  
Piper stopped in the middle of the street, uncaring of the passersby. She hugged Paige in relief and gratitude. "Oh, it means a lot to me, Paige. I would have asked Phoebe but you know, she's working right now at the Bay Mirror and I don't want to spoil the good luck she's been having with her column."   
  
"I understand, Piper. You don't have to explain things to me. And I'm glad you asked because not working is great, yes, but it gets quite boring sometimes." She said, smiling widely, in usual Paige fashion.   
  
"Well, I'm glad that's settled. We need to go grocery shopping and I was going to go later with Phoebe because she the car, but since we're already outside let's just go to the supermarket, okay? We can pick up a couple of videos and popcorn afterwards." Piper said, pushing the stroller further down the street.   
  
Paige followed, walking beside her. "I hope you brought you're credit card because our fridge and pantry is empty." She said, laughing. "Wait, wait! How are we going to carry everything back to the house? Maybe I could orb in our shopping cart here?" Paige exclaimed and again, they stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk.   
  
Piper sighed and ran a hand through her long, thick brown hair. "Damn it, I keep forgetting things these days! I swear if Leo were around to help with Melinda, things would be easier then, but no, he ran off to help the Elders… doesn't he know he's supposed to take care of his child? It took the two of us to create her and it will be the two of us raising her, or I'm going to do some hell of complaining." Piper ranted, her hands placed firmly on her hips in annoyance.   
  
"Piper, come on, don't kill yourself over this. It's just one lousy shopping cart and it will be easy to get it. And you know Leo wants to be here; he loves Melinda as much as you do. He is not running away from you, Piper, he just can't be here and you have to accept it." Paige consoled with her oldest sister.   
  
Piper sighed, her expression softening. She was only angry at her husband because she missed him and couldn't see him. Piper knew that Leo's White-lighter duty was just as important as her being part of the Charmed Ones, and sometimes their magical responsibilities had to come first. It wasn't Leo's fault that he hadn't been home since his daughter's birth and Piper felt ashamed at her past anger.   
  
"I'm sorry, Paige. I was just… well not mad at him, more like missing him terribly and not thinking straight. That's what happened," Piper looked at Paige with relief, "Thanks for clearing things up for me, Paige, you're really a big help."   
  
"Anytime, Piper; it's what sisters are there for. And anyway, Leo and you are like the couple of the century. You've been together for so long and have tremendous love for each other." Paige said, "Don't forget it. Now, let's move get out of the way so no can see us, and I'll orb in the shopping cart."   
  
They moved into an empty garage that sat between two Victorian style houses and Paige made no sure no was looking at them from the house windows and the street. Not a living soul was in sight. "Okay, all clear," she said and Piper nodded. "Shopping cart!" Paige exclaimed and seconds later, the family's small blue cart appeared beside them.   
  
Piper smiled, still amazed by Paige's power, even though she had seen her sister use it a million times before. "Do you think this qualifies as using magic for personal gain?" Paige asked staring down at the object she'd orbed in with worry.   
  
"I think we've done enough for them that they'll excuse this very small and very stupid 'personal gain'. It's only a shopping cart, you know." Piper said, and wheeled the stroller out of the garage. She turned back to Paige with an expectant look. "We have things to do, Paige, so get a move on. And please stop fretting over the stupid shopping cart. I'm not carrying a load of bags and a stroller back to the house and neither are you without a cart."   
  
"I wish I had you're defiance." Paige commented as she hurried over to her sister. Piper took the cart from her and placed it over the middle of Melinda's baby carriage. The cart was light so it wouldn't bother Melinda.   
  
"Oh, you do, Paige. I think you even have more than me,"   
  
"Really? You think so?"   
  
"Yes, I believe you're more the rebel in the family."   
  
Paige looked definitely pleased with her sister's answer.   
~~~  
After two hours of grocery shopping in Path-Mark, Paige and Piper were exhausted, hungry, and desperately wishing that they were already in their warm, comfortable home. Melinda had awoken right in the middle of their shopping and it had taken awhile before she calmed down. Piper kept thinking that she'd forgotten to buy half the groceries they needed because of the disruption her daughter had caused, but Paige had come to the rescue and orbed in the carefully written shopping list that was tacked to the refrigerator. Paige hadn't bothered to feel guility about using magic for personal again. After all, the Elders owed them, for saving plenty of innocents.   
  
Both sisters had quickly finished their shopping, making sure that they purchased everything on the list, and then started on their way to the Manor, drained of energy. The sisters turned the last corner on their block and saw lights glowing from the Halliwell Manor down the street. Phoebe had already gotten home from the Bay Mirror by now.   
  
"I hope Leo's back… I'm too tired to feed and bathe Melinda." Piper said, pushing the stroller. Her baby stared up at her with doe, innocent eyes and Piper felt her heart flutter with the love she felt for the tiny person she'd created with Leo.   
  
"Me too. You know I'd take care of her and everything, Piper, but all I want right now is some food and a hot shower." Paige said, walking a small distance behind her sister. She was hauled along the heavy shopping cart, which was weighed down by dozens of bags.   
  
"I'm going to call him right now. Someone needs to help you with that cart, it's really heavy. I think we bought too much," Piper said, turning around and frowning at the cart. "But then again, I just looked at the list and got everything from it."   
  
"Yup," Paige agreed. "Okay, I'm calling him. Leo! Leo, come on, we need you here!" she called, and moments later, a shower of blue sparks rained down on them, shaping into the form of her sister's husband. "Finally," Paige muttered a smile on her face when Piper ran straight over to him.   
  
They embraced each other tightly and kissed, eyes closed. Melinda immediately started up a fuss once she realized that her father had arrived, interrupting her parents passionate kissing. Leo parted from Piper and went to tend to his daughter. Melinda gurgled happily in his arms and they all chuckled. Piper watched them closely, leaning her head against Paige's shoulder.   
  
"I love seeing them like this. It reminds me that all the trouble we went through was worth it." Piper said and Paige nodded.   
  
Leo, holding Melinda in one arm, and pushing the stroller with the other hand, began heading down the street. Piper took the cart from Paige, saying it was only fair for her to carry it the rest of the way, and Paige followed behind her sister, lost in her thoughts. Seeing Piper and Leo with Melinda made Paige think of her past and her parents, Sam and Patty. A White-lighter and a witch just like her sister and Leo. But Melinda hadn't been the result of an affair and kept a secret, like Paige. Paige sighed inwardly, shaking her head to get rid of the sudden sadness that had enveloped her.   
  
Melinda had everything that Paige had always wanted. She was going to be raised by a loving, caring and devoted family. There was only thing that Leo and Piper still hadn't decided on - whether to bind Melinda's powers for some time or not. Paige hoped that they'd come to their senses and let their daughter become familiar with her powers at a young age. Getting used to any kind of power, especially at an older age, was hard. Paige knew that from experience.   
*** 


End file.
